Teixeira among few to reach power milestone

Teixeira plated his 100th run of the year with a double in Monday's 3-2 victory over the Orioles, becoming just the fifth player in history -- and the first switch-hitter -- to have 100 RBIs in at least eight of his first nine seasons.

"It's a number that is great to get to every single year," Teixeira said. "I can't believe it's been eight years in a row. I'm very blessed to stay healthy and stay consistent."

Al Simmons (9), Albert Pujols (9), Ted Williams (8) and Frank Thomas (8) are the other players to have reached the century mark in RBIs over eight of their first nine seasons.

Teixeira and Pujols are the only ones to have 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in at least eight of their first nine years. Pujols has done it in all 10 of his previous seasons and is looking to make it 11 this year.

"It's one of those things that I know if I stay healthy and consistent, it doesn't matter what my numbers look like in April or even at the All-Star break," Teixeira said. "If I continue to play the way I'm capable of playing, that should happen."

Teixeira's eight seasons with 100 or more RBIs tie him with Carlos Beltran for the second most in history by any switch-hitter. Only Chipper Jones, with nine, has more.

"It's tough to hit for power as a switch-hitter, but I've been very blessed," Teixeira said. "I've been in some great lineups, had a bunch of people on in front of me and protection behind me. You don't get to 30 and 100 without having some great teammates, and I've had a nice little run here."

Teixeira acknowledged that as he prepares for the season and goes through Spring Training, the numbers 30 and 100 are indeed ideas that go through his mind, and those goals helped him shrug off his slow starts.

"When people look at me, they look at me as a 30 and 100 guy. You can't get to 30 and 100 in April," Teixeira said. "That's the mentality you have to have. It's almost like running a marathon. You're not going to win a marathon in the first mile."